Akron Zoo announces birth of white-faced saki monkey

AkronThe Akron Zoo’s adult female, Clementine, cuddles with her infant.Courtesy of Elena BellBy Megan Becka, special to cleveland.comAKRON, Ohio – The Akron Zoo announced the birth of a white-faced saki monkey – the first in the zoo’s history.The infant monkey was born on Sept. 18 to the zoo’s adult female saki, Clementine, and male saki, Toumi, according to a news release. The infant is doing well and the gender is unknown at this time. This is the third infant for the couple, but the first born at the Akron Zoo. The couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Ripley, resides with her parents at the zoo. Their other was born at their previous home, the Houston Zoo, and has since moved to another zoo.Zoo visitors can see the saki family at the Tom and Shelley Koutnik Primate Passage.The zoo introduced white-faced saki monkeys as a new species in May of 2026. Native to northern South America, white-faced saki monkeys are classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. However, saki populations are declining due to habitat loss and hunting for the illegal pet trade, according to the release.The Akron Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It participated in the White-Faced Saki Species Survival Plan–a scientifically managed breeding program that aims to ensure a healthy and genetically diverse population of white-faced sakis.The Akron Zoo is open 361 days a year. Peak season hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 30. Off-season hours will begin Oct. 1. Off season hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission rates range from $11-$21 per person. Children ages 2 and younger are free and parking is free.Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com’s Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays.Megan Becka is a freelance reporter covering Akron and Summit County news for cleveland.com. Her work covers a wide range of topics that impact county residents including: government, education, healthcare and...